Austin FC announced today that the Club has signed defender Joe Hafferty on a Short-Term Agreement from its MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Austin FC II. Hafferty will be available for selection for Austin’s MLS match against New York Red Bulls on Wednesday, September 20 at Red Bull Arena.
Hafferty joined Austin FC II in March 2023 after spending his first two (2) professional seasons with Tacoma Defiance, making 32 total appearances. Originally from Renton, Washington, he spent time in the Seattle Sounders Academy before playing four (4) seasons of collegiate soccer at Oregon State, where he was named All Pac-12 First Team as a junior and senior.
With Austin FC II in 2023, Hafferty has played in all but one (1) of the team’s 27 MLS NEXT Pro regular season matches to date, leading the team in tackles (35) and duels (217) while wearing the captain’s armband. He has also contributed one (1) goal and one (1) assist.
Per the 2023 MLS Roster Rules and Regulations, a club may sign a player age 25 or younger from its MLS NEXT Pro affiliate to a maximum of four (4) Short-Term Agreements (up to four-day contracts) each season (a maximum of 16 total days). An individual player may be included on up to four (4) MLS league season match rosters each season – however, that player may appear in no more than two (2) MLS league season matches. An individual player may appear in any number of non-league games during the terms of his four (4) Short-Term Agreements.
